Manual latch retriever assembly for a railway car coupler

ABSTRACT

A manual latch retriever for use with automatic railway car couplers of the type wherein a latch member, upon coupling action, is moved into engagement with a coupling pin for locking the couplers in coupled relation, and wherein power-operated means are employed for disengaging the latch member for permitting uncoupling of the cars, said latch retriever comprising manually operable lever means connected to said latch member and being disposed externally of the coupler so as to be accessible for manual manipulation in withdrawing and thereby effecting disengagement of the latch member in the event of failure of the power-operated means.

United States Patent 1 Monzi MANUAL LATCH RETRIEVER ASSEMBLY FOR ARAILWAY CAR COUPLER [75] Inventor: Ronald F. Monzi, Lower Burrell, Pa.

[73] Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

Wilmerding, Pa.

22] Filed: Oct. 18, 1971 21 App1.No.: 189,941

[ Nov. 27, 1973 6/1960 Metzger 213/100 W 4/1933 Robinson 212/100 W [57ABSTRACT A manual latch retriever for use with automatic railway carcouplers of the type wherein a latch member, upon coupling action, ismoved into engagement with a coupling pin for locking the couplers incoupled relation, and wherein power-operated means are employed fordisengaging the latch member for permitting uncoupling of the cars, saidlatch retriever comprising manually operable lever means connected tosaid latch member and being disposed externally of the coupler so as tobe accessible for manual manipulation in withdrawing and therebyefiecting disengagement of the latch member in the event of failure ofthe power-operated means.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDuuvzv I973 sum 10F 2 1 NVE N TOR.RONALD F MONZI ATTORNEY 1 MANUAL LATCH RETRIEVER ASSEMBLY FOR A RAILW YCAR COUPLER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the type of automatic carcoupler above referred to, each of the mating heads carries a couplingpin that is engaged by the latch member on the other mating head whencoupling action takes place. Each of the coupling pins has a notchformed thereon and into which respective latch members are biased forsecuring the mating heads in a coupled relation. Each of the matingheads also carries a power-operated device, such as a fluid pressureoperated piston device, which, when actuated in anticipation ofuncoupling action, delivers a hammer blow to the respective latch memberfor dislodging said latch member from the notch on the pin and thenholding the latch member in such disengaged status against the biasingaction thereon until the cars are moved apart.

On occasion, the power-operated devices have been known to fail tooperate, or in some instances, the hammer blow delivered thereby to thelatch member is not heavy enough to effect dislodgement of the latchmember.

One solution for the problems above described has been to provide ascrew member having a free end extending externally of the Couplercasing by being threaded through a complementarily threaded bushingfixed in the casing wall, the other end of said screw member beingrotatably secured inthe latch member co-axially with the line ofmovement thereof. In the event of failure in dislodging the latch memberfrom the coupling pin notch, said latch member may be withdrawn manuallyby applying a wrench to the free end of the screw member and turning thescrew member in the fixed bushing, thereby effecting withdrawal anddislodgement of the latch member and consequent freeing of the couplerpin for uncoupling action.

'It should be evident, however, that the solution above discussed hascertain undesirable disadvantages such as being time consuming andnecessitating the person manipulating the latch withdrawing screw memberto occupy a'dangerous position between the cars for an extended periodof time. Moreover, the end of the screw member might become so worn asto make the applicationof a wrench thereto difficult if not impossible.A

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, therefore, seeks toprovide means for use with automatic car couplers of the type whereinthe coupling pin is secured in a coupled condition by a latch memberbiased into engagement therewith and released therefrom bypower-operated means, whereby said latch member may be retrieved fromsaid engagement with the coupling pin in a minimum of time and by asingle manual motion.

The invention comprises a rod member having an inner end fixed to thelatch member of the automatic coupler and extending axially therefrom sothat the other or outer end of said rod member is situated beyond theexterior limits of the coupler casing, said outer end being pivotallyconnected between the ends of a lever which is fulcrumed at one endagainst the side of the casing and provided with a hand grip at theother end. In the event the power-operated means provided for dislodgingthe latch member from the, coupler pin fails, said latch member may bepositively disengaged,

with a minimum of time, by a single pull of the lever to cause rotationthereof about the fulcrumed end and, thereby, axial movement of the rodmember which moves the latch member with it out of engagement with thecoupling pin. To permit straight-line displacement of the rod member,the fulcrumed end of the lever is not fixed to the side of the casingbut slides thereagainst as the lever rotates. Stop means are provided tolimit rotation of the lever to less than 90 and therefore preventmovement of the fulcrumed end thereof over the dead center point.

In the single-sheet drawing,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, in section, of a mating headof an automatic car coupler embodying the invention looking toward therear thereof when in its suspended position on the car;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view, in outline, of certaincomponents of the mating head shown in FIG. 1 as viewed from the leftthereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, in outline of the componentsshown in FIG. 2 with certain modifications;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view, mostly in section, showing thecomponents shown in FIG. 2 in an operated position and as viewed in FIG.1, and,

.FIG. 5 is a partially sectioned plan view of the mating head shown inFIG. 1, as viewed from the bottom thereof, in coupled relationship witha counterpart mating head.

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1generally designates a fragmentary portion of a mating head which with acounterpart mating head 1 comprises an automatic car coupler, saidmating heads each comprising a casing 2 by which the mating head issuspended, by suitable means not shown, at the end of a draft gear of arailway vehicle, neither of which is shown. Each of the mating headsalso comprises-a coupling pin 33 (see FIG. 5) projecting horizontallytherefrom parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car and offset to oneside of the vertical center line of the mating head. As the mating headsmove into. coupled relation,

in which they are shown in FIG. 5, the respective couplingpins are.engaged by theoppositerespective matingheads. Since both mating headsare identical in structure, any operational description set forthhereinafter will be described in connection with one mating head only,it being understood that the other mating head functions in similarmanner. Thus, the coupling pin 33 carried by one mating head 1 isengaged by the other mating head 1 by entering an aligned opening 3 inthe facing side of said mating head 1. The leading end or nose ofthe'coupling pin 33 is tapered so that,

upon entering the opening 3, the tapered surface of the 'the couplingpin 33 in its locking position, a notch 34 (see FIG. 5) formed thereinis in alignment with the spur 4, thereby enabling the latch member 5 tobe moved rightwardly, as viewed in the drawing, to a latching positionby a spring 8 compressed between the bottom of the cup-like portion 6and a coaxially disposed spring seat 9 fixed on the inner side of anouter side wall 10 of casing 2, until the spur 4 is firmly engaged insaid notch. A similar action occurs when the coupling pin 33 carried bythe other mating head 1 enters the counterpart mating head, so that thetwo mating heads comprising the coupler are now locked in a coupledrelation, as shown in FIG. 5.

In anticipation of uncoupling operation, the coupling pins 33 and,therefore, the mating heads'are unlatched by respective power-operatedpiston devices. A poweroperated piston device 1 l is mounted in thecasing 2 in axial alignment with the latch member 5 and comprises acylinder portion 12 in which a fluid pressure responsive piston 13 isreciprocably operable (see FIG. 1). A hollow cylindrical striking memberl4 is secured to and extends coaxially from a non-pressure side ofpiston 13 so as to be disposed in axial alignment between said pistonand the outer side of the bottom of cup-like portion 6 of the latchmember 5. Thus, when piston 13 is subjected to a sudden burst of fluidpressure on a pressure side (not shown) opposite the non-pressure side15, said piston is moved leftwardly out of a normal position, as viewedin the drawing, with such rapidity and force as to cause the strikingmember 14 to come into contact with the bottom of cup-like portion 6 ofthe latch member 5 and thereby deliver thereto a hammerlike blow foreffecting movement thereof in a leftwardly direction to an unlatchingposition in which spur 4 is dislodged from the notch 34 in the couplingpin 33. The piston device 11 is provided with a choked release valve(not shown) for maintaining the effect of fluid pressure acting on thepressure side of piston 13 and therefore maintaining the latch member 5in its unlatching position relative to the coupling pin 33 for a certainperiod of time considered sufficient for completing the uncouplingmovement of the cars. When the fluid pressure acting on the pressureside of piston 13 has been dissipated through the choked release valve(not shown), a spring 16 compressed between the-bottom of cup-likeportion 6 and the non-pressure side 15 of piston 13, serves to restoresaid piston to its normal position in which striking member 14 is out ofcontact with said cup-like portion, and spring 8 acts to restore latchmember 5 to a normal position coinciding with its latching position whenengaged with the locking pin 33.

In the event that the piston device 11' fails to operate or if thehammer blow delivered thereby to the latch member 5 fails to causedislodgement of spur 4 from the notch of the coupling pin 33, manuallyoperable means, in accordance with the invention, are provided to effectsaid dislodgement of said spur from the coupling pin.

According to the invention, a rod 17 has an inner end securedconcentrically to a retaining member 18 resting against the 'outer sideof the bottom of cup-like portion 6 of the latch member 5 said retainingmember having a flange portion against which the adjacent end of spring16 rests for exerting a biasing effect therethrough on said latchmember, as above noted. Rod 17 extends coaxially from retaining member18 through a concentric opening 19 in the bottom of cup-like portion 6,through the cup-like portion, through the spring seat 9, and through anopening 20 formed in the side wall 10 of casing 2 with the other orouter end of said rod disposed exteriorly of said casing. As may be seenin both FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer end of rod 17 is pivotally secured by apin 21 between two free ends of a lever 22. One end of lever 22 has afinger pull or grip 23 formed thereon, while an opposite end 24 of saidlever acts as a fulcrum in a manner to be hereinafter set forth. Thebiasing effect of spring 8 in a rightwardly direction, as viewed in FIG.1, on latch member 8 and consequently on rod 17 normally holds lever 22snugly against the outer surface of sidewall 10.

Thus, in the event the power-operated piston device 1 1 fails to operatethe latch member 5 to its unlatching position, as above described, theoperator simply grasps the finger pull 23 of lever 22 and causes saidlever to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG.1, about the pin 21 and against the fulcrum end 24, which,- as isevident, slides upwardly alongthe outer surface of side wall 10. Suchcounterclockwise rotation of lever 22 causes leftward axial movement ofrod 17 to an extended position out of casing 2 and consequentlycorresponding axial movement of latch member 5 to its unlatchingposition, above described, to permit separation of the mating heads 1from each other. Each mating head is provided with the manual latchretrieving mechanism embodying the invention that may be used in theevent of failure of the power-operated piston device on either of themating heads.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, the lower portion of lever 22 is in the formof a yolk 25 to accommodate rod 17 therein as said lever is rotated andsaid rod is extended out of casing 2. In order to prevent rotation ofthe lever 22 and, therefore, fulcrum end 24 over the dead center point,a cross member 26 is'fixed across the arms of the yolk 25 adjacent saidfulcrum end. As lever 22 is rotated counterclockwise to the proximity ofof rotation relative'to rod 17, the cross member 26 comes into contactwith said rod, as best seen in FIG. 4, to prevent rotation of the leverthrough the 90 angle and, therefore, prevent fulcrum end 24 from slidingthrough the dead center point lying in the axis of rod 17.

It should be noted that when the latch member 5 is operated to itsunlatching position by the striking member 14 of the power-operatedpiston device 11, spring 16 is further compressed between piston 13 andcuplike portion 6, and rod 17, by virtue of spring 16 acting thereonthrough the retaining member 18, is also carried along with said latchmember so as to cause said rod to be moved axially, with a suddenmotion, out of casing 2. Although such movement of rod 17, with theattendant movement of lever 22, may be observed as an indication thatthe power-operated piston device 11 has operated successfully forunlocking the coupler pin, such bouncing action of the rod and lever maynot be desired during power operation of latch member 5 to itsunlatching position.

Since the retaining member 18, to which the adjacent end of rod '17 issecured, merely rests against the outer side of the bottom of cup-likeportion 6 of latch member 5 and is not fixed thereto, said latch member,therefore, when moving leftwardly to its unlatching position, is capableof axial movement relative to said rod if the rod is restrained frommovement therewith. This characteristic may be used to advantage ineliminating the bouncing action of rod 17 and lever 22 above discussed.

7 As shown in FIG. 3, a hasp 27 is hinged at one end to the side wall bya pin 28 inserted transversely through aligned holes formed in said oneend of said hasp and in a hinge member 29 secured to said side wall. Inorder to immobilize rod 17 and lever 22 against bouncing action duringpower operation of latch member 5, hasp 27 is secured in a restrainingposition by rotating the hasp about its hinged end so that it extendstransversely across the front of said lever and may be secured in saidrestraining position by a pin 30 inserted transversely through alignedholes formed in bifurcated end 31 of said hasp opposite said'hinged endand in a staple member 32 conveniently positionally secured on the sidewall 10 so as to be straddled by the bifurcated end of the hasp. Pin 30,of course, may be removed to allow movement of the hasp out of itsrestraining position to an inoperative position in which lever 22 maythen be manually operated, as above described for releasing latch member5.

Having now described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A manually operable latch retriever assembly for use with anautomatic railway car coupler of the type having a coupling pin carriedon one mating head of the coupler and engageable by a counterpart matinghead in a locked relation for locking the mating heads in coupledrelation, and power-operated means for effecting unlocking of the matingheads prior to uncoupling thereof, said manually operable latchretriever assembly comprising the combination of:

a. a coupler casing mounted on the one mating head;

b. a coupling pin carried by the counterpart mating head and movablerelative to and into said casing;

c. a latch member disposed in said casing and including spring means foraxially biasing the latch member in one direction into a latchingposition in which said coupling pin is engaged and locked againstmovement relative to said casing;

d. a rod member secured at one end to said latch member and extendingcoaxially therefrom with the other end disposed exteriorly of thecasing, said rod member normally occupying a normal position in whichsaid latch member is in its said latching position; and

e. a lever member connected to said other end of said rod member andbeing operable out of a normal position, in which said rod member is inits said normal position, for-manually effecting axial movement of saidrod member and consequently of said latch member in a direction oppositeto said one direction to an unlatching position in which said couplingpin is unlocked and free for movement relative to said casing.

2. The combination, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said other end ofsaid rod member is pivotally connected to said lever member between theends of the lever member, and said lever member has formed at one endthereof a hand grip for manually rotating said lever member about theend of said rod member with the other end of the lever member serving asa fulcrum resting against the casing.

3. The combination, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the fulcrum end ofsaid lever member is free to slide against the exterior of the casingduring manual rotation of the lever member.

4. The combination, as set forth in claim 3, further characterized byfluid pressure operable means for operating said latch member to itssaid unlatching position independently of said manually operable means,said rod member normally being movable along with said latch member insaid direction opposite to said one direction incidentally to operationof the latch member to its said unlatching position by the fluidpressure operable means.

5. The combination, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said latch memberis yieldingly movable relative to said rod member during movement of thelatch member to its said unlatching position when effected by the fluidpressure operable means.

6. The combination, as set forth in claim 5, further characterized bymeans operable in one position for restraining movement of said rod andlever members out of their respective normal positions, notwithstandingoperation of said latch member to its said unlatching position by saidfluid pressure operable means, and being operable out of said oneposition to a different position in which such restraint of movement ofsaid rod and lever members is removed.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (IERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3 774,777 DATED Nov. 27, 1973 |N\/ENTOR(5) Ronald Monzi It is certified thaterror appears in the aboveidentified patent and that said Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

Change the assignee from "Westinghouse Electric Corporation" to--Westinghouse Air Brake Company-.

Signed and Scaled this [SEAL] A ttesr:

RUTH C. MASON Arresting Officer C. MARSHALL DANN (mnml'ssrmrvr uflatenrxand Trademarks

1. A manually operable latch retriever assembly for use with anautomatic railway car coupler of the type having a coupling pin carriedon one mating head of the coupler and engageable by a counterpart matinghead in a locked relation for locking the mating heads in coupledrelation, and power-operated means for effecting unlocking of the matingheads prior to uncoupling thereof, said manually operable latchretriever assembly comprising the combination of: a. a coupler casingmounted on the one mating head; b. a coupling pin carried by thecounterpart mating head and movable relative to and into said casing; c.a latch member disposed in said casing and including spring means foraxially biasing the latch member in one direction into a latchingposition in which said coupling pin is engaged and locked againstmovement relative to said casing; d. a rod member secured at one end tosaid latch member and extending coaxially therefrom with the other enddisposed exteriorly of the casing, said rod member normally occupying anormal position in which said latch member is in its said latchingposition; and e. a lever member connected to said other end of said rodmember and being operable out of a normal position, in which said rodmember is in its said normal position, for manually effecting axialmovement of said rod member and consequently of said latch member in adirection opposite to said one direction to an unlatching position inwhich said coupling pin is unlocked and free for movement relative tosaid casing.
 2. The combination, as set forth in claim 1, wherein saidother end of said rod member is pivotally connected to said lever memberbetween the ends of the lever member, and said lever member has formedat one end thereof a hand grip for manually rotating said lever memberabout the end of said rod member with the other end of the lever memberserving as a fulcrum resting against the casing.
 3. The combination, asset forth in claim 2, wherein the fulcrum end of said lever member isfree to slide against the exterior of the casing during manual rotationof the lever member.
 4. The combination, as set forth in claim 3,further characterized by fluid pressure operable means for operatingsaid latch member to its said unlatching position independently of saidmanually operable means, said rod member normally being movable alongwith said latch member in said direction opposite to said one directionincidentally to operation of the latch member to its said unlatchingposition by the fluid pressure operable means.
 5. The combination, asset forth in claim 4, wherein said latch member is yieldingly movablerelative to said rod member during movement of the latch member to itssaid unlatching position when effected by the fluid pressure operablemeans.
 6. The combination, as set forth in claim 5, furthercharacterized by means operable in one position for restraining movementof said rod and lever members out of their respective normal positions,notwithstanding operation of said latch member to its said unlatchingposition by said fluid pressure operable means, and being operable outof said one position to a different position in which such restraint ofmovement of said rod and lever members is removed.